Recent News

By Region: North America

House Passes Homeland Security Legislation to Improve Disaster Preparedness, Secure Borders, and Streamline DHS Programs

(The House Committee on Homeland Security) Today, the House of Representatives passed important legislation to strengthen homeland security by improving funding for disaster preparedness, better securing our borders, and streamlining Department of Homeland Security (DHS) programs and management. H.R. 6025, H.R. 5913, H.R. 5997, H.R. 915, and H.R. 6328, all within the jurisdiction of the Read More »

November 29, 2012
| Filed under North America, Countermeasures, Policy & Initiatives, and Public Health
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Flu outbreaks predicted with weather forecast techniques

(EurekAlert) Scientists at Columbia University and the National Center for Atmospheric Research have adapted techniques used in modern weather prediction to generate local forecasts of seasonal influenza outbreaks. By predicting the timing and severity of the outbreaks, this system can eventually help health officials and the general public better prepare for them. The study, published Read More »

November 28, 2012
| Filed under North America, Agents & Toxins, Public Health, and Research
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Third-Party Audits – Their Crucial Role in Moving Forward With FSMA and Food Safety

(Food Safety News) I recently had the honor of speaking at the 2012 Safe Quality Food International Conference in Cincinnati on the topic of the crucial role of third-party audits in moving forward with FSMA and food safety. In the talk, I spent time looking at what is working well with third-party audit systems, and Read More »

November 28, 2012
| Filed under North America, Agriculture, and Biosafety
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OIE: Foot and Mouth Disease Reported in East China

(The Pig Site) Laboratory tests carried out at the Lanzhou Veterinary Institute have confirmed a foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the Dalian region. On November 24 a pig farm in Puwan New District in Dalian was confirmed as having FMD. Currently the source of origin of the infectionn is not known. So far Read More »

November 28, 2012
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, North America, Agents & Toxins, Agriculture, and International
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DTRA Chem-Bio Seeks Diagnostics Innovation Challenge Services

(Global Biodefense) The Chemical and Biological Technologies Department at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is seeking sources to assist agency staff in defining, developing, advertising, and administering a large market stimulatory grand challenge and prize reward initiative related to point-of-care or point-of-need diagnostics for infectious disease threats. The Department of Defense (DoD) seeks to Read More »